Ventilating device.



BIGAUSE. VEN'TILATING DEVlCE.

Patented Feb. 20, 19W.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. I916.

ZSHEETS-SHEET I.

mr mwms PEYERS co PNUYD-LITHO.. wunmcmu. u c.

B. GAUSE.-

VENTILATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 19.16.

' Patented Feb. 20,1917- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

shoe.

BENJAMIN GAUSE, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

VENTILATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

Application filed May 3, 1916. Serial No. 95,108. v

ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in ventilating devices and more particularly to thatclass adapted to be used for conveying airrinto parts ofa shoe, and my object is to provide a bellows and place the same within the shoe in position to be operated by the motion of the leg of the wearer of the shoe ateach step taken.

A further object is to provide a tube in connection with the bellows for conveying the air from the bellows'into any preferred portion of the shoe.

A further object is to provide suitable valves for controlling the intake to and discharge of the air from the bellows.

A further object is to so constructthe bellows that it may be used inthe forwardor rear portion of the shoe, said bellows and parts attached thereto forming the tongue of the shoe when used in the front portion of a lace shoe.

A further object is to provide means to cause the bellows to open after each operation of the bellows to expel the air therefrom.

And a further object is'to providemeans for retaining the bellows in proper position when employedin connection with a lace Otherobjects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth. and more. particularly pointed out in the accompanying specification. V In the accompanying drawingswhich are made a part of this application,

Figural is a perspective view ofa lace shoe showing parts thereof broken away.

, Fig. 2 is a longitudinahvertical, central, sectional view thereof, showing the air con veying tube extended. a distance below the insole of the shoe. I

T Fig.3,is a perspectiveview of thebellows removed from the'shoe.

Fig, 4 enlarged perspective view of attachedin any suitableimanner to the lower one form of the metallic portion of the bellows with the covering removed therefrom.

I Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the metallic portion of the bellows showing the valve for controlling the passage of the air from the bellows to the air conveying tube.

Fig. dis a perspective view of the shoe showing the manner of attaching the bellows to the rear portion thereof, and

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view partly broken away showing the manner of holding the bellows in proper alinement when the bellows is substituted for the tongue of the shoe.

-Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a shoe which may be constructed in any preferred manner or style and either fastened by buttons or by laces, but in the present instance, I have shown a lace shoe of the ordinary construction.

In order to thoroughly ventilate the shoe to keep the foot in a cool and non-perspiring condition in the hot season of the year and likewise dry and warm in the cold season, air is to beconveyed into the shoe and discharged at any suitable point between the lining and outer leather of the shoe or may be conveyed from'end to end of the shoe and discharged below the bottom of the foot of the wearer as desired, and to this end I provide a bellows 2 which comprises a shield 3, so constructed as to fit the contour of the leg of the wearer at apoint above the ankle, said shield preferably having an extension 4 when. the bellows is used in the front portion of the shoe, the shield and extension being preferably constructed of metal.

' Disposed over the shield and extension is a covering 5 of leather, rubber, textile, or other suitable fabric, said covering preferably fitting snugly against the outer face of the shield 8, while the end 6 and inner face 7 are so arranged that when pressure is applied thereagainst they will bend inwardly and expel the air'c'ontained within the bellows, and said end section and inner face are caused to assume their extended position as soon as pressure is removed therefrom, by placing a spring tongue 8 within the'space between the covering and the innerface of theshield, the lowerend of the tongue being for the escape of the air into thefshoeand portion or the shield while the upper ortion of the tongue is normally extended out" wardly from the shield and engages the in ner face 7 adjacent its connectionnwith the,

end section 6.

Vllhen the bellows is used in connection 0 with a lace shoe, it is preferably substituted for the usual form of flapqfor covering the space between the lace edges of the shoe top, and' if desiredthe covering may be extended from the upper end of-the bellows tOthG-GX- treme forward. end of theshoe, as best shown in Fig.2 vof the drawings, and between the two layers of. the-covering is positioned a hollow tube 9, the upper end of the tube be ing introduced between the, shield 8 and fixed end ofwthe spring tongue 8, said tongue and shield being so attached around theend of the tubeas to prevent the escape of air at anyipoint except through the tube.

The tube 9Vmay terminate at the toe of the shoe,or mayv terminate at anypoint after leavingthe bellows, or may extend toward a the heel of the shoe any preferred distance,

in whichinstance the tube is' preferably disposedbelow the. insole or lining 10 of the shoe and the main sole 11, a plurality of perforations 12. being formed through the insole inadi'rect contact with the foot, the tube 9 likewise having perforations at intervals for perspiration of the foot.

"The tube 9 may be constructed of any suitable flexible material, preferably of spirally wound wire, the coils of which are so arranged as to'forin a non-leakable passage,

- and although the covering and tube,--as

shown "in the drawings, are on an exaggerated scale, itwill be clearly understoodithat saidtube and covering will notfin any manner-form a projection or extensio'n wvhich would in a'ny way interferewith orinjure s the foot'ofithewearer. The airis' admitted .into---the -beljlows through the" port-1 3 over the inner, face of which/is placed a- Valve 14', which valve will I admit the air through the port 18 but will immediately close and prevent the; escape of the air :ther'etlirough, when-inward pressure is applied-to the face Tof the'bellows; -As

the: frontrwall of the: bellows is pressed .in-

'wardlyf the air' within the bellows 1 .will; be

forced through the tube 9 and discharged at any suitable po'int into the shoe, and to pre- 'vent"tliereturn of the air into the bellows, a partition 1'5 is formed between the tongue Sand shield 8, immediately above the end of 'thetube" 9, through which is formed a port 16, and engaged with the lower face of the partitionafid adapted to extend over said port; is a valye-17;which will readily open to admit the air into the tube but will immediately close andvprevennthe return. of theair into, thebellows when said bellows is again expanded, thus; causing a fresh sup plyof,a-ir to be drawn into the bellows and discharged into-the bottom portion of the -When thebellows is attached to a button shoe, --it is secured" to or built in the flap which,go es acrqss the front of the foot and thebellows is shapedto. fit the contour of the flap. Instead of attaching the bellows to the front portion-ofthe shoe, it may beattachedtofthe rear portion thereof, as shown in 6,{Of" the drawing, inpwhich. instance therextension. l is dispensed with if desired the lower, end of the 'bellows,.18, preferably terminating at,the:top of the reinforcing counter '19 of the heel portion of theshoe, thetube 2O beingextencled downwardly to r the bottomportion of the shoe and thence along one, side thereof. any suitable distance, the-airbeingdischarged: from the tube at in tervals in its length, as' indicated by: the arrows-in Fig, 6, but, instead of disposing the tube along the side of'the shoe it ,may be extended centrallyfof: the, shoe, in which instance it is positioned betweenvthe main sole of, th e shoe and the? insole thereof.

' In orderptofhold the bellowsin proper alinenient r when. substituted for the tongue of, the shoe, studs 21 may be formed upon the shield 3 andextended through the ,cover ing; and by engaginggsaidz studs with certainof the eyelets in; the top portion of the shoe, the tongues will beheld in proper position when the shoe is' properly laced.

e Instead, however, of providin flthestuds for holding the bellowsin proper position, that form'of de iceQshoWninEigLT may be employed, in which instance a strap 22 is placed betweenthelining 23, and the outer portion of th e shoe top, the.;.forwa rd ends of theg-strap beingiextended through slots 24: adjacent the forward 'portion 'of the top so that said ends 'may be, extended over and engaged with a. stud 25 lattache dfto the front portion of ,the l'shield. .3, .said: overlapping ends of th straps, having eyelets there, through for-engagementwwith the; stud and as the; strap attached tov the shoe top at the rear portion ,oftheshoe near the counter of the heel, the bellows ;,will,,be held in proper; position regardless vof the v manner in which the shoe be laced. If desired, that portion, of 'thejstrapv 22gpassing overthe ankle joint, may'have an enlarged portion 26 to give additional support to the ankle, and if desired the strap may be shortened and sewed or otherwise attached to the inside of the shoe top near the front thereof.

By placing the bellows in the top portion of the shoe, either in the front or rear thereof, it will be readilyseen that the swinging motion of that portionof the leg above the ankle will alternately depress and release the bellows as the wearer of the shoe is walking, thereby discharging a predetermined quantity of air into the shoe at each step, thus ventilating the shoe and retaining the foot in cool condition in hot weather and in a warm state in cold weather, as dampness, caused by perspiration, is eliminated.

It will likewise be seen, that by placing the bellows in the top portion of the shoe, no part of the weight of the body will be directed thereon, is true of other structures employed for forcing air into the shoe.

It will likewise be seen that when a lace shoe is used the bellows and its covering may be substituted for the ordinary form of tongue commonly used with shoes of that structure.

It will likewise be seen that the bellows can be built into the shoe as the shoe is being manufactured or may be attached to the shoe at any time and at a minimum expense.

And it will likewise be seen that by placing the bellows within the shoe at the points shown, the contour or pleasing effect of the shoe will be undisturbed.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. The combination with a shoe, of a bellows positioned in the shoe, and having valves adapted to control the admission and expulsion of air into and from the bellows, said bellows being adapted to be operated to force air into the shoe by the movement of that portion of the leg above the ankle.

2. The combination with a shoe, of a valved bellows positioned therein and extending above the level of the ankle and in position to be operated to force air into the shoe by the relative movement of the foot and the leg above the ankle.

3. The combination with a shoe, of a bellows attached to the upper portion of the shoe and positioned to receive pressure of the leg of the wearer of the shoe to operate the bellows, a valve at the upper and lower ends of the bellows adapted to control the admission and expulsion of air into and from the bellows, and means to convey air from the bellows to the interior of the lower portion of the shoe.

45. A means for forcing air into a shoe, comprising a bellows, a plate within said bellows, a spring tongue adapted to normally hold the bellows in extended position, valves in said bellows, and a flexible tube connected with the bellows adapted to convey air to various parts of the shoe.

5. A bellows for forcing air into a shoe for ventilating the same, comprising a plate, a spring tongue having one of its ends secured to the plate, a covering for the plate and tongue, valves adapted to control the admission and expulsion of air from the bellows, and a tube for conveying the air from the bellows to parts of the shoe.

6. A bellows for conveying air into the interior of a shoe, comprising a covering of flexible material, said covering having an air receiving space, a plate surrounded by said covering, a spring tongue secured at one end to the plate and having its opposite end in engagement with parts of the covering to hold the covering in extended position, valves adapted to control the admission and discharge of air into and from the compartment in the covering, and a flexible tube adapted to convey the air from said compartment to the interior of the shoe.

7. The herein described means for conveying air into the lower portion of a shoe, comprising the combination with a shoe, of a bellows attached to the shoe and forming a flap at the front of the shoe, and means carried by the shoe adapted to be engaged with said bellows to retain the bellows in operative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN GAUSE. lVitnesses:

T. G. BUCHANAN, HUGH W. RANKIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

